Career Space
Canal houses along an Amsterdam canal

Country reference

Netherlands work permits and salary thresholds

Photo: Kaci Baum · CC0
Checked3 official sources

Highly skilled migrant (kennismigrant)

The Dutch highly skilled migrant permit is applied for by your employer, not by you — and only an employer recognised as a sponsor by the IND can do it. In 2026 the salary criterion is €5,942 gross per month if you are 30 or older, €4,357 if you are under 30, and €3,122 under the reduced criterion. Holiday allowance does not count towards it.

Salary threshold by year

Standard
€5,9422025: €5,688 · +4.5%
Under 30
€4,3572025: €4,171 · +4.5%
Reduced criterion
€3,1222025: €2,989 · +4.4%

What the amount is:Gross per month, excluding holiday allowance — in the Netherlands that is a further 8% on top. Calculated from sv-loon: payments in kind and irregular elements such as overtime, tips and payments from funds do not count.

Does your offer clear the threshold?

The comparison runs in your browser. Nothing you type is sent anywhere, stored or logged. It checks your figure against the published threshold — it is not a tax calculation and not advice.

Conditions

  • Your employer is a recognised sponsor with the IND and submits the application for you.
  • There is an employment contract.
  • Your salary meets the criterion for your age group, excluding holiday allowance.
  • The salary is market-conform: comparable to the average for a similar job.
  • You provide a statement that you have committed no crimes.

European Blue Card

The European Blue Card is the EU-wide route for university-educated workers. In the Netherlands its 2026 salary criterion matches the highly skilled migrant one at €5,942 gross per month, with €4,754 under the reduced criterion — noticeably higher than the €3,122 reduced criterion of the national scheme.

Salary threshold by year

Standard
€5,9422025: €5,688 · +4.5%
Reduced criterion
€4,7542025: €4,551 · +4.5%

What the amount is:Gross per month, excluding holiday allowance — in the Netherlands that is a further 8% on top. Calculated from sv-loon: payments in kind and irregular elements such as overtime, tips and payments from funds do not count.

Does your offer clear the threshold?

The comparison runs in your browser. Nothing you type is sent anywhere, stored or logged. It checks your figure against the published threshold — it is not a tax calculation and not advice.

Sources

  1. 01Fees and required amounts for 2026 knownIND — Immigration and Naturalisation Service ·
  2. 02Fees and required amounts for 2025 knownIND — Immigration and Naturalisation Service ·
  3. 03National highly skilled migrant schemeIND — Immigration and Naturalisation Service ·

Every figure here comes from an official source and carries the date we checked it. How we work with data.

This page is information, not advice. We are not an employer, a recruitment agency, a visa centre or an immigration adviser, and we are not affiliated with any government body. Rules change — confirm against the official source before you act.